Road To Recovery
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: After the attack on Beacon Academy, persons from all sides of the war struggle to recuperate. Little did they know they could find help in the most unsuspecting of people. (Winter/Yang, Blake/Weiss, Ruby/Neo).
1. Sisters

**A commission for overseerorm! They asked for a multi-chapter fic of things to happen taking place alongside/after my fic Wings Of White, so please read that first to understand everything! All three chapters of this fic will revolve around the characters he specifically asked to see together (Winter/Yang, Weiss/Blake, Ruby/Neo).**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Road To Recovery

Chapter 1. Sisters

Everything was a mess.

In her line of work, Winter had seen many awful scenes before – refugee villages scorched to the ground, entire cities quarantined in epidemic, violent riots in otherwise melancholy cities...

But of all the terrible things she had seen, what had transpired here at Beacon was probably one of – if not _the_ – worst things she had ever witnessed.

She'd seen mass destruction, but never _this_ much.

She'd seen dire injuries, but never _this_ many.

She'd seen the kingdoms on the brink of war, but never _this_ close.

There had been times when communication had been spotty, and even lost for up to several hours at a time.

But never before in all her years had she seen the CCT actually out of commission. It meant devastation for all of Remnant. Even the kingdoms that hadn't been directly affected by the physical violence were now easily prone and vulnerable to miscommunications, if any at all.

She'd never sensed so much tension on the air before, never felt such dread the second she stepped out of her ship onto solid ground. This was without a doubt the most catastrophic scene she had borne witness to in all her life thus far.

Beacon's once-tranquil campus was now littered with injured, sobbing students. Children no older than her sister...

Just the thought of Weiss in all of this made her lose face for a split second. Winter had no idea where she was.

She could have been anywhere.

There was no way to know for sure. With the CCT now down, all hope of reaching Weiss – or anyone else, for that matter – by scroll was hopeless.

But Winter thought she might've had an idea of where to find her sister.

Just minutes before Winter's airship had come into view of Beacon, she and her entire crew had been alerted in their intended direction by a sudden white light.

She'd never seen anything like it before.

It had been almost like an electrical surge, which was the only feasible, logical explanation she could come up with for such an intense brightness. Had it been a summoning, she would have been able to recognize it and safely assume it was her sister.

But what she'd seen had sent a chill up her spine.

 _Her_. Winter Schnee.

As a high-ranking militant officer under General Ironwood, she did not tremble easily.

But even now, a good half an hour after she'd first seen that unnatural light, she couldn't stop thinking about what it could have stemmed from.

But whatever it had been, she had an instinctual feeling that Weiss had somehow been involved.

The Grimm had all fled or frozen at the sight of it, battering Winter's airship for a long while, making what should have been a ten-minute journey take three times as long as her unit fought the beasts off in midair.

Then they'd finally landed, and the first order of business had been to attend to the injured people they'd found there.

It was all Winter could do to suppress the urge to hurry off in search of Weiss on her own.

She couldn't. She needed to remain here, oversee the rescue efforts, and evacuate the students.

Something told her that Weiss hadn't been on board any of the previous evacuation ships.

Though Winter dug her teeth into her lip at the thought of that being the case, she couldn't deny it was the most likely scenario.

She knew her sister, and thanks to Winter's brief visit earlier, she knew Weiss' partner and team leader as well. Weiss had written home and told Winter all about her entire team, and none of them sounded like the types of people who would flee in the face of danger - not if there were still people to help.

So Winter knew Weiss wasn't on board any of the rescue ships set for a secure location back in Atlas.

No. Weiss was still here amidst the chaos somewhere. She could sense it.

And she wanted to go and search for her, more than anything.

It had been nearly an hour now since she'd first seen that strange light, and every second that passed her by made her all the more anxious. She _knew_ Weiss had been involved. She just didn't know how or why.

For now, Winter needed to do her best to keep her worries about Weiss to the back of her mind.

Her sister was perfectly capable of handling herself. She _had_ to be.

 _She has to be all right..._

Winter had no choice but to focus on the tasks at hand, giving stern orders to her underlings, arranging for backup medical to be called in.

Without the use of their scrolls for communication, she needed to send people on foot as envoys. She also sent a few to search for the General so he may potentially transfer orders to her.

There was so much work to be done. She didn't have the luxury to worry about her sister.

She tried to keep her mind off of Weiss.

But her heart never left her for a second.

* * *

It was many more hours until things had been cleared up in her area.

They'd spent a lot of time assessing the safety of many of the building structures, killing off the few straggling Grimm, and fetching supplies and rations to those in need.

Winter herself had only managed to eat a small meal before she'd received word from General Ironwood that she'd been dismissed from her duties for an hour or so. He'd made his way to her by now and told her face to face.

"You've done your job here, Schnee. Go now, and do what you have to."

And with eyes barely keeping back the sheer relief she experienced at hearing his words, she saluted him, bowed, and took her leave.

She followed her instincts. She knew Weiss was still near Beacon – many of the students who'd stayed to fight still were.

The infirmary building was now secure and swarming with people. Many were patients, bleeding and being treated by the influx of medical personnel who had been notified.

Winter glanced over every pained expression, but none of their faces were familiar to her.

She made her way into the building, setting a brisk pace as she went down the hallways, peering into every room in search of a familiar patient.

 _Not this one... N_ _ot here either..._

With each room she passed without sighting Weiss, her concern only grew heavier.

It was after several long minutes of pacing those halls when a wide-eyed nurse hurried up to her.

"Miss Schnee! Oh, your sister is here!"

Winter stiffened and relaxed at the same time if that was possible, casting a firm gaze onto the young woman.

"Which room is she in? What's her condition?"

The nurse seemed to clam up for a moment, then spoke a little more timidly.

"She's just down that hall, third door on the left," she said, nodding behind Winter. "She's in the ICU, being treated for severe injuries."

Winter didn't stick around to hear any more than that. Her clothes fluttered behind her as she whipped around and hurried for the indicated door.

It was all she could do to remind herself to knock.

There was a second of pause, but no one resisted her advance.

She pushed through, not knowing what to expect.

It certainly wasn't this.

The bed in her immediate sight was occupied by a familiar young girl with brown hair, resting. Winter instantly recognized her as Weiss' partner.

And beside that bed was another guest, seated in a chair.

Winter narrowed her weary eyes at him.

Qrow lifted his head as he looked her over, an unreadable expression on his face. He shrugged, keeping his voice low.

"Figured you'd show up soon."

She wasn't all that surprised to see him, either.

Even so, Winter said nothing to him as she crossed the room, passing by the foot of his niece's bed. She seemed to be doing well, which was somewhat reassuring.

Winter could assume that if Weiss had been involved with that white light, then this girl would've been, too. So if Ruby was fine...

She paused at the curtain drawn over to conceal the next bed. Her hand reached up, grasping the sheet tightly before she could allow her fingers to quiver. She swallowed and exhaled steadily, then pulled the material back.

Almost as soon as she saw Weiss, Winter closed her eyes.

It was _awful_ , seeing her like that.

Bandages everywhere, machines and wires, bags dripping fluids. One of her legs was elevated and wrapped in a cast from the ankle down, and there was an oxygen mask pressed over her lips, coaxing her chest to rise.

She looked so small, so pale, so fragile...

Winter had always feared for her, even though she'd never truly said it. She couldn't help it.

And now, to see her like this – nearly comatose, barely breathing...

She went to her side and knelt, taking Weiss' limp hand in her own.

She didn't care if Qrow was watching. She didn't care if all of Remnant was watching. She didn't _care_...

Winter lifted her sister's hand to her lips and kissed her there. She traced her fingers over Weiss', curling them softly.

After a moment, she laid her sister's hand back down at her side and stood. She kept her eyes trained on Weiss, though she couldn't bear to look at her face.

When she spoke, her voice was void of any emotion.

"If... _when_ she wakes up... send for me."

She heard Qrow scoff behind her and shift in his chair.

"What? Suddenly you think I'm gonna take orders from y-"

" _Qrow!_ "

It was a roar this time, sharp and furious. Her hands clenched into fists at her side as she forced herself to keep from whipping around and lunging at him.

But her implications were clear.

This wasn't about them and whatever petty differences they might've had.

This wasn't about their dislike of the other's profession.

This was about his youngest niece, and her younger sister.

This was about two young girls.

Qrow understood as much. Sighing again, he leaned back in his chair.

"You're an idiot. Always have been, always will be, you know that?"

Winter stayed put, still not having heard the answer she'd wanted. Qrow continued.

" _When_ she wakes up, I'll send for you."

With that, Winter turned around to face him, and pulled the curtain back into place behind her, concealing Weiss once more. Her heels clicked slowly as she rounded Ruby's bed, then paused as she came to a stop a few feet away from him.

She met his gaze, hers as hard and unwavering as ever. Her eyes closed slowly with a blink, and her chin dipped slightly along with it.

It was the closest thing to a 'thank you' he'd ever get.

With that, Winter headed for the door, and slipped outside. The hallway was vacant now, and surprisingly quiet.

Winter took a moment to lean her back against the wall, bringing a hand up to cover her eyes. She could only see images of Weiss in her mind, trapped in a deep sleep...

Winter still didn't even know exactly what had happened to her sister or her sister's partner, but there would be plenty of time to demand answers later.

For now, she still had a bit of time before she'd need to get back to her unit.

She wasn't quite certain what she would do, so she merely began to walk once more.

For once, she put her trust in Qrow for something. Even if it turned out she was in the middle of something work-related when she heard news of Weiss' waking, Winter would do everything within her power to get to her.

She kept her hands folded properly behind her back as she walked, though her shoulders were slightly slouched, so slightly no one else would have noticed for certain. Her eyes were trained directly ahead, to the end of the hallway lined with doors.

It was by no conscious will of her own that she turned her head a few times to peer at the rooms she was passing. Every bed was filled with students, some moaning, some shifting, some still.

She saw Weiss in all of them.

When Winter reached the last room in that hallway, she found the door to be open. Naturally, her eyes were drawn to the patients.

The bed on the far side of the room was occupied by a girl with long, messy black hair. She was asleep, and seemed to be suffering from a wound similar to Weiss'.

Beside the closest bed, a man with blonde hair sat, asleep in his chair, exhausted.

Winter was somewhat surprised to realize the second of the patients was looking back at her.

Her eyes met with two weary pools of lavender, which only seemed to spark to life upon seeing her. The girl had long blonde hair and was sitting up, leaning back against her pillows, looking melancholy.

Winter paused in the doorway, lingering as she held her gaze.

This girl...

She was the one who had caused the first international uproar during the tournament, supposedly attacking an innocent boy.

Weiss had called Winter that night, frantically trying to explain the situation and defend her own teammate. Winter had never been too certain of what she believed, but she could still remember the desperate earnestness of her sister's voice.

She briefly recalled what the screens had shown, that her name was Yang Xiao Long.

The blonde girl held Winter's gaze with shock in her own, then timidly looked away. She said nothing, and Winter knew it would have been perfectly acceptable for her to simply continue on down the hallway.

But something made her stay.

Still standing in the doorway, Winter kept her eyes on the blonde girl, whom she now noticed only had one arm.

"Pardon me," she said, dipping her chin. "But you are Weiss' teammate, correct?"

Yang looked up at her again, but it wasn't long before her gaze dropped.

"Yeah... But it's okay. You can just refer to me the same way everyone else does. A brute. A traitor. A crazy person. It doesn't matter."

Winter noticed the girl's eyes went to the girl lying not far away from her, who was presumably her partner. Still, Winter stayed.

"May I?"

Yang only shrugged.

"Suit yourself."

Winter stepped inside, doing her best to keep quiet as to not wake the man or the other girl. She paused a comfortable distance away from Yang's bed.

The blonde girl didn't look directly at her, as her eyes were still on her unconscious partner.

"It's my fault..." she mumbled. "I couldn't protect her. I couldn't protect anyone..."

Winter turned sympathetic eyes to her. She understood the mentality all too well. After a devastating event such as the one that had transpired at Beacon, it was all too easy for people to place the blame on themselves. She felt she'd been doing the same thing with Weiss.

"It won't do you any good, you know."

She didn't elaborate, but it seemed the blonde girl knew what she'd meant.

"I don't deserve any good."

Winter blinked, her expression unreadable.

"Do you think your partner would like to hear you say such a thing?"

That elicited a more emotional reaction. Yang bit her lip and shook her head, keeping it bowed.

"It doesn't matter. She can't hear me anyway..."

"But she will soon enough," Winter reasoned. "And if you're saying things like this now, what makes you think you won't still be saying them in a few hours when she wakes? Do you think your partner won't feel just as guilty about your injuries?"

Her gaze traveled down to Yang's arm, and the girl noticed exactly where she was looking. Winter continued.

"Guilt is the easiest thing to feel after something like this happens. It's easiest to place the blame on ourselves, so we don't burden those we love.

"But we can't allow blame to be the _only_ thing we put on our own hearts. Let your friends put a little love there, as well. A little acceptance. Forgiveness. And you give them the same. Because even if you try to convince yourself they'd blame you, you know in your heart it isn't true."

By the time she'd finished, she realized the girl before her was crying softly. Tears dripped down into the blankets on her lap. Winter took a step back towards the door.

"I apologize. I'll be taking my leave then."

"No... wait..." Yang wiped her arm over her eyes and swallowed thickly, then lifted her tearstained face again. "You don't have to leave. I mean, unless you have someplace to go...?"

Winter said nothing. Yang nodded and continued.

"Sorry for crying. But at the same time, thanks for saying all that stuff... It hit home. Hard. But I needed to hear it. So thank you."

Winter was amazed by this girl's courage. She dipped her head and even offered a smile.

Yang ended up doing the same, despite the way her lower lip still trembled a little.

"So... you're Weiss' sister, right? Ruby told me about you a little bit. Said she saw you fight our uncle, and that you were really good at it, too. Doesn't surprise me. I've seen Weiss fight, and she's amazing, so I can only imagine what her older sister's like."

Winter felt her jaw tighten irritably at the mention of Qrow, but it wasn't for ill-intent - just a bit of mild annoyance.

"You flatter me," she said. "I may have years of experience my sister lacks, but even so, I wouldn't doubt for a second that she could defeat me in a fight. Her skills are exceptional."

Yang actually chuckled a little bit at that.

"Yeah, I feel the same way about my little sister. She's Weiss' partner, Ruby. We're half-sisters," she explained. "Before our dad fell asleep over there, he said he'd gone to see her. She's with Weiss, isn't she? I haven't been allowed to leave my room or go see them yet. How... how are they doing? My dad said it wasn't too bad, but... I just can't help but worry, y'know?"

Winter held her wavering gaze with a steadier one, but one no less distraught.

"I understand. Our sisters are remarkable, but sometimes they're reckless girls, wouldn't you agree?"

Yang was crying a little again, but she offered a tiny laugh and nodded.

"Yeah... gotta love 'em."

"Indeed. Now, I myself am not entirely certain of what happened. I've yet to be officially informed. But I can assure you our sisters will be just fine."

She didn't need to give any detail greater than that. Telling this injured girl of Ruby's unnaturally-deep slumber and Weiss' serious injuries would surely only cause her malignant distress.

Winter was certain her words were the truth, that both of their younger sisters would soon be awake and on the road to recovery.

But for now, she thought it best not to reveal unnecessary information, for both Yang's sake and her own.

Her words seemed to reassure the girl, who relaxed a bit against her pillows.

"That's good. Thank god..."

Winter nodded.

"They'll be back on their feet in no time at all, I'm sure. And the same goes for your partner." She nodded to the dark-haired girl still asleep nearby.

Yang sighed heavily.

"Yeah. I hope so..." Her left hand rested in her lap, while the stump at her right elbow hung uselessly above.

Winter couldn't ever hope to understand what that felt like. She herself had never been so permanently injured before in all her years of military training.

This girl must have felt so hopeless, like a burden, and that would only reflect poorly upon her teammates and companions.

Winter did all she could think to do and made an offer.

"You know... General Ironwood has a line of proficient, state-of-the-art prosthetics in production. I've seen them myself. Even as prototypes, they're highly effective and functional. I've only ever heard high praise in reference to them."

By now, Yang had met her eyes again, and the girl was beginning to comprehend what she was saying. Winter kept herself professional, but lowered her voice empathetically.

"Now, I'm not sure if it would be your desire. I know you'd like time to consider what it is you want. But should you feel you'd like to try out one of Atlas' prosthetics, just know you have my official offer and I can ensure you it will be done. You need only to say the word."

Yang was quiet for a long moment.

Winter understood this was a lot to take in for a freshman girl at Beacon who'd had so much happen to her over the course of only the past three days. She'd been ridiculed on national television for her singles' match, she'd lost most of her school and her right arm, and now all of her friends and her sister were injured.

Even so, Winter wanted to help support Weiss' teammates as much as she could, in any way possible.

Yang seemed to be considering the offer seriously for a few minutes, her fingers clenching and unclenching over the sheets.

Winter was aware that this was a major decision, and she didn't want to pressure her about it. She was about to say as much when the blonde girl looked up to her, wearing a thin smile.

"Thanks for the offer. I really mean it. I'll keep it in mind... but I'm not sure if I'm ready to decide right away."

Winter dipped her head.

"I understand. There's no rush. But if you decide you want to contact me, you'll know how to do it."

Yang nodded in return.

"Yeah. And thanks for... offering me a helping hand."

The amused smirk on her lips told Winter it was meant to be a joke. Therefore, she wasn't all that ashamed to laugh at it. But it was so unexpected, and so pleasant, she had to bring a hand to her mouth to cover it.

She couldn't recall if she'd ever looked so unbecoming in all her life.

The fact that Yang had made her chuckle seemed to lift the girl's spirits a little higher, so Winter didn't really mind.

Once she'd regained her composure, she cleared her throat, changing back to her more stoic persona, though she could no longer conceal the amusement in her eyes.

"Now then, I'd best be on my way. Please give my best wishes to your partner when she wakes. And please take some for yourself as well."

Yang sighed, but the smile remained.

"Yeah. Winter, right? Thank you. And thanks for the offer, too. I'll let you know sometime."

Winter dipped her head one last time. She took a step back towards the door, just as the sounds of footsteps reached her.

Both she and Yang looked up to see the newcomer. Yang was clearly more enthused.

"Uncle Qrow!"

"Heya, kid. Just thought I'd pop in. Your old man's still asleep?" He glanced at Winter with mild interest. "And you're here, too. Guess that's lucky. I came to tell ya they're awake."

"What?" Yang gasped. "You mean Ruby? And Weiss, too?"

"Easy, kid. You're not going anywhere just yet. I'm sure your sister'll be coming to see you soon, so just wait for her."

As Qrow went to her bedside and tapped Taiyang to rouse him, Winter slowly slipped away to the door. But she made sure to catch Qrow's eye and nod her thanks, to which he simply shrugged.

Winter's gaze met Yang's one last time, and the blonde girl called out softly to her.

"Thank you."

Again, Winter smiled.

Then, she turned and headed quickly for Weiss' room, back the way she'd come.

She'd tell Ruby about her older sister, to put her mind at ease, and Winter would be pacified to know Weiss was all right.

They were all sisters, and sisters looked out for one another.

* * *

 **A/N: Ahhh, I really would've liked a canon moment of Yang and Winter meeting up and cooing over their baby sisters together~ Sorry I couldn't really do that in this fic though, since this chapter has a much more serious tone.**

 **And I feel Yang might've made that corny little pun to show she was beginning to cope with what has happened to her. Also, I want to hear Winter laugh.**

 **Chapter 2 will deal more with RWB_**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on as Kiria Alice!**

 **Please review!**


	2. Friends

**Just another reminder, this is not a romance fic. People seem to think it is for some reason. But anyway, here is a bit of Weiss, Blake, (and Ruby).**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 2. Friends

It was several days yet before Weiss was able to get out of her hospital bed on her own.

More than anything, she detested the fact that she needed to be confined to a single room, though she had to admit, the fact that Ruby was more or less stuck there with her eased away a bit of the chagrin.

Whenever the room was vacant of guests, be they older sisters, uncles, or nurses, Weiss sometimes expressed her vexations to her partner.

She just hated being cooped up. It felt like she was back home again, under her father's supervision, under someone else's _control_.

And she hated how the nurses and doctors would barge in multiple times throughout the day to run tests, take samples, poke and prod her like some kind of experiment.

At the very least, Ruby was adamant that she be allowed to stay during such procedures, and every time she made sure to sit at Weiss' bedside, holding her hand while offering words of reassurance.

Luckily, these inconveniences only persisted for three days after Weiss woke.

Ruby was officially discharged the day after, though she still ended up spending most of her time in the hospital. She spent a great deal of time visiting Blake and Yang in their room down the hall, who would also need to stay in bed a while longer, just like Weiss.

When she wasn't in one of her teammates' rooms, Ruby was out visiting other friends and classmates as they recovered.

Weiss would often try to rest or read when Ruby was away, or sometimes Winter would come to visit her. But Ruby always made sure to come back every evening.

Being that the Academy was still undergoing heavy repairs, she was permitted to spend her nights there in the hospital bed beside Weiss. Her presence provided a great comfort for the heiress, particularly because there was always a slight fear in the back of Weiss' mind.

Winter had continuously reassured her that their father wouldn't be coming to seek Weiss out, but she still fretted nonetheless. Having Ruby at her side more often than not helped to ease her mind.

At night, Ruby laid down on her bed, but not before pushing it a bit closer to Weiss', more or less joining them together.

And even though Blake, Yang, and Zwei weren't there with them at night, just being able to have one another was enough.

* * *

On the fifth morning of her stay, just when Weiss had begun to think she might have to stay here forever, she was discharged.

It was almost surreal to her that she was allowed to simply stand up and walk out at her discretion, though her sore ankle had her swaying a bit.

Naturally, Ruby was enthralled, jumping onto Weiss' bed and throwing her arms around her shoulders, making sure to avoid her healing chest wound.

"Yaaaay! I'm so glad, I'm so glad! Oh! We should go visit Blake and Yang together!"

Weiss sighed, gently pushing her off, though she couldn't hide the smile.

"Of course we will. But I'd rather change into something else. And so should you."

Weiss had been in hospital robes for nearly a week now, while Ruby was still dressed in her pajamas from last night.

At their request, their clothes were brought in by the staff. A nurse informed them that they may still use the same room and beds to sleep in despite their discharge, at least until more could be provided for them at the school dorms.

Ruby changed in the small bathroom inside the room, shooting out fully dressed in fewer than ten seconds flat.

Weiss was still a little shaky with standing and moving around, so Ruby kept a hand at the small of her partner's back as she helped her across the room. She even offered to help Weiss change if she needed to, but the heiress shooed her away.

It took her some time, especially because even the slightest bend or twist at the wrong angle would send a pang of pain through her chest where the arrow had struck.

But eventually, she got herself into her usual clothes, her skin once again getting used to the familiar fabrics after so long of being in robes. She hobbled out of the bathroom to find Ruby jumping up from where she'd been sitting on her bed.

"Weiss! Are you okay? Need any help?"

"I'm just fine," Weiss assured her. "But thank you, Ruby."

Her partner seemed to glow a little, beaming as she scurried to her side.

"Okay! But if you need anything or you wanna stop for a rest or something at anytime, just say the word!"

"I will. Now let's get going."

She knew Ruby had gone to see Yang and Blake many times already, and she'd always relay information to Weiss. But the heiress hadn't actually seen either of them herself since the battle.

As they made for the doorway, Ruby stuck close to her side, casually slipping an arm around Weiss' waist. It was a motion that didn't draw any attention; Weiss didn't feel so terribly embarrassed to be dependent on her to such a small degree. She allowed herself to lean a bit of her weight onto her partner as they made their way down the halls.

Now that the battle was far behind them, the infirmary wasn't as hectic as it had been in previous days. For now, it was quiet, its rooms filled with people sleeping, recovering, or talking softly.

Ruby directed them to their teammates' room, and Weiss couldn't deny she was feeling both nervous and excited to see them. Ruby had told her of their injuries, especially Yang's.

Weiss couldn't even imagine the things the others must have been going through. She just hoped her presence might be able to ease a little bit of the pain, or at the very least, distract them for a bit.

However, as they rounded the corner that would take them to the designated room, both girls came to a pause at the sight of nurses huddled around the door. They were chittering together under their breaths until they noticed the approaching pair. One young man turned to meet them, but effectively blocked their path forward.

"Miss Rose, and Miss Schnee. Ah, you're here to see your sister and Miss Belladonna, yes?"

"Yeah!" Ruby answered. "Um... is that okay? I mean, I've been coming to see them for a few days now..."

The boy seemed somewhat uncomfortable as he tried to think of something to say.

"Yes, well... I hope you'll understand, but we've got a few things to attend to right now involving your teammates. May I ask you both to come back to visit this evening?"

His words struck a chord of worry within Ruby.

"Is... Is something wrong...? Did something happen?"

"Noting that can't be handled before supper, I assure you."

Weiss felt her partner tense a bit. She was feeling uneasy as well, but she knew better than anyone how to read a situation.

"Come on, Ruby," she said gently. "Let them do what they have to. We'll come back later, okay?"

Ruby blinked up at her a few times, shaking her head to clear it.

"Yeah... Okay. Then we'll be back in a few hours!" she said to the young nurse.

He merely smiled. "Of course."

A little dejected, and a little worried, the two girls turned away and began walking down a different hallway.

"I wonder what that was all about...?" Ruby muttered.

"I'll wager they're probably running some tests," Weiss offered. "Yang and Blake can't really have company, if that's the case." She reached over to touch her hand to Ruby's where it was still holding onto her waist. "Don't worry. We'll just see them later."

Ruby sighed, but tried to let Weiss' words put her at ease.

"Yeah. You're right. I can't wait to see the looks on their faces when they finally get to see you again!"

The two of them decided to head outside for some fresh air.

Ruby had ventured out in the days before, but this would be Weiss' first time in nearly a week.

As soon as Weiss had set foot outside, she instantly inhaled a full breath of air. It put a bit of an ache in her chest and against her sore lungs, but it was worth it. She was glad to be outside again for the first time in close to a week.

Until now, she'd only felt the sunlight through the glass of the windows, but now it was warming her skin directly.

With Ruby at her side, they started off around Beacon's property to observe the ongoing activity.

The school itself was swarmed with people and machines who were beginning to rebuild the damaged parts. There was still a long way to go, but they'd already refurbished quite a bit as well.

There were airships constantly passing by or docking, sometimes letting off a fresh wave of reinforcements to help with repairs and supplies, and other times collecting a group to bring to Vale for the same reasons.

The two girls walked side by side for about fifteen minutes, walking around the familiar campus that was now partially in shambles.

Ruby would occasionally mumble things under her breath, such as "The Griffons did this" or "That was because of the dragon..."

Weiss was no fool. She knew her partner almost as well as Yang did by now. She could see the spark of longing in her silver eyes, the desire to help the others with repairs, the want to be useful in whatever way possible in order to be a part of rebuilding what she loved.

But she couldn't do that if she was too busy being Weiss' crutch.

Therefore, the heiress brought them to a pause at Beacon's courtyard, beside one of the only intact benches that remained. Ruby helped her sit down and briefly rested beside her.

"What's up, Weiss? Are you feeling okay? Do you wanna go back inside?"

"No. I want _you_ to stop worrying about me. Now, I understand it might be difficult, because if our positions were reversed, I'd be the same way. But I don't want to limit you, Ruby. Especially when you've got better things to do."

She glanced over at one of the repair groups. Ruby followed her gaze, but quickly shook her head.

"N-No, Weiss! Helping you isn't just a 'thing to do'! And there's nothing better than it! I wanna make sure you're okay!"

"I understand. Which is why I'm telling you straight up that I'm fine. You don't have to keep such a close eye on me, alright? You should go do the things you want to do. I can manage on my own."

Ruby fiddled her fingers in her lap. She was excited at the notion of going off to be useful to the repair and reconnaissance groups, but she was hesitant about leaving her partner like this.

"Are you sure? What if something happens and your wound starts to hurt again?"

"That won't happen. But if it did, there are plenty of people around who would be able to help me, don't you think?"

Ruby whimpered slightly. Weiss sighed, placing a hand over hers.

"Go, Ruby. Do what you've always dreamt of and go help people, then come back in a few hours. I'll be waiting for you, okay? Meet me back in our room, then we'll go to visit Blake and Yang."

Ruby looked up into her eyes one more time, then smiled faintly.

"Okay!" She wrapped her arms around Weiss gently and gave a little squeeze. "Thanks, Weiss."

"You're welcome, you dunce. Now go on. And make sure you're back before supper."

"On it!" Ruby let her go, stood, gave a thumbs-up, then darted off in a blur of red.

Weiss watched her go for the three seconds it took for the last rose petal to fall. Smiling, she sighed.

"Be safe, you dolt."

Weiss didn't have any alternative plans in mind. She was quite aware of her own condition, and only intended to stay outside for a while to get some fresh air into her lungs, then she'd head back into the infirmary before long.

For now, she simply planned to rest where she sat, tilting her head back to glance at the sky. It was blue and speckled with white wisps of clouds, and the warm sunlight was bathing her skin and hair.

Had it not been for the sounds of reconstruction and the whirring motors of airships, Weiss might've believed today was just another normal day on campus in between classes.

When she wasn't looking directly at the damages, it was almost hard to comprehend that what had happened just days ago had been entirely real. The occasional pain in her chest was an effective reminder as well.

For a time, she simply stayed there, sometimes closing her eyes to focus on her breathing. The raucous sounds of drills and cranes and hammering ensured she'd never fall asleep entirely, but she managed to nap for a few minutes without being disturbed.

At one point, the work all seemed to come to a halt, and Weiss assumed the people were taking a snack break or something along those lines. Perhaps she'd get to rest for a bit now...

However, the sounds of frustrated voices nearby were too loud to ignore.

"I still can't believe it. Look at all this damage. And all because of those damn White Fang."

"Shit's gonna cost a fortune. And they're hardly even payin' us. Stupid Faunus."

"They're no better'n the Grimm, if ya ask me."

"Why're they makin' people like us rebuild, huh? They should make the animals themselves do it." This man then raised his voice. "Hey! Yeah, you heard me! Dirty half-breeds! _You_ should be the ones doin' all this labor! How come you get to sit and relax, huh?"

Weiss' eyes shot open in a rage. Her heart was already being assaulted by beats of anger, most of which caused a bit of pain for her, but she couldn't care less.

Grunting, she more or less forced herself up from the bench and whipped around to face the men she'd heard.

There were three of them, all dressed in construction clothes, none of whom were familiar to her. She knew they weren't students, so she could assume they were just hired workers.

They were now jeering at a pair of Faunus passing by, who adorned nurses uniforms. The young man of the pair was politely trying to explain that they weren't helping with reconstruction because their jobs was to assist the injured.

But the way his lupine ears flattened demonstrated just how nervous he was. The girl behind him had her foxlike tail fluffed out in alarm, and was quietly trying to pull him away.

The human men continued scoffing at them.

"Yeah, right. You guys don't do shit, even in the infirmary."

"I'll bet you were workin' with them White Fang, weren't ya?"

"Good-for-nothin' flea-bags."

Weiss was having no more of this.

She stormed her way over to the confrontation and planted herself directly in the middle of it. She squared her shoulders to face the three working men, chin lifted high, eyes narrowed in an icy glare – everything she'd ever learned from her father about appearances to intimidate.

She watched the confusion and irritation in their eyes, but before they could speak, her voice shot out in a furious bark.

" _Excuse_ you!" she snapped with scathing outrage. "Don't you three have _jobs_ to be doing instead of _harassing_ other workers?"

The three men looked to her in surprise, then started laughing.

"Workers? Those ain't workers. Those are pests."

"Should kick 'em out. Ban every last one of 'em."

"Since when does Schnee's kids like Faunus anyways?"

When the other two recognized the emblem on her clothes, they also began to make harsh comments about her family name.

But Weiss hardly cared, so long as their interests in conversation had been swayed.

Even still, she couldn't let the comments they'd made about the Faunus race slide.

"I can see why they hired you for this job. It doesn't require a high level of intelligence, after all."

 _That_ got their attention.

"Why you-"

"What'd you say?"

"Listen here, girly-"

" _No_ ," Weiss growled. " _You_ listen. Do you even _know_ what the Vytal Festival _is?_ Did you even _watch_ it for a second? Because I did, and I sure saw a _lot_ of Faunus competitors. Highly-skilled, highly- _intelligent_ fighters from all over the world. Students from the academies.

"Now, I suppose every last one of them who's studying at a prestigious school like Beacon is a member of the White Fang, then? I suppose _every_ family of Faunus living in the cities in the homes they built with their own hands or payed for with years of hard labor are a part of the White Fang, too? Every Faunus you see passing you by on the street, or while shopping in the mall, or at the movie theater? _Every_ last one of them is White Fang, is that correct?"

As she hurled these accusations at them, she was advancing step by step, fingers balled into fists. The three men were gradually backing away, mumbling stupidly.

"Uhh..."

"Well, I mean-"

"Probably not, I guess?"

But Weiss still wasn't finished with them yet. She went on, her cold blue eyes burning.

"Not every Faunus is associated with the White Fang. Most want nothing to do with them. In fact, there are a great deal of _human_ supporters as well. So assuming that people are involved with them just because they don't look exactly like _you_ is about as low of a mindset as you could possibly obtain.

"I'll have you know it's people like you who _create_ the White Fang. Don't you realize that? When you make judgements without reason, when you discriminate, when you belittle people, they want to react, and maybe they'll decide to do it violently next time."

By now, the three men had been stunned into silence. Weiss glared them down and spoke with conviction.

"So do us all a favor now, would you? Grow up."

With that final comment now burned into the backs of their minds, Weiss turned herself around and marched off.

The two Faunus nurses were still huddled together, jaws agape and eyes wide. Weiss paused beside them, and the girl flinched a bit. But the heiress merely presented them with a small smile.

"Thank you for your hard work. I know we don't say it enough."

Both of their faces absolutely lit up. They dipped their heads to her, and scurried off together.

Something told Weiss this was the first time anyone else had ever defended those particular people, or their species. Weiss hoped it wouldn't be the last.

She meant to make her way back to the infirmary now, but a sudden throbbing in her chest stopped her in her tracks. She'd been vaguely aware of it at the time she'd been speaking so loudly before, but now that she had a moment to cool off, it was becoming painful.

Gasping thinly, she felt her legs trembling already, and a dizzy spell hit the back of her head like a brick. Her vision blurred and spun, and she knew she was falling-

"Weiss!"

Instead of concrete or cobblestone, Weiss found herself resting in a pair of soft, supportive arms.

She struggled desperately to open her eyes, but it wasn't Ruby she found looking back at her. It was-

"B-Blake...?"

"Are you okay? No, wait don't answer that yet. Just breathe, okay?"

Blake had knelt down in order to hold Weiss in her lap, letting the heiress collapse softly against her chest. Blake rubbed her back for her, trying to soothe the pain.

As Weiss caught her breath, her mind buzzed with a million things she longed to say. The last time she'd seen Blake, she'd been lying on the ground, bandaged-up, curling up into a tight ball with her hand in Yang's, sobbing bitter apologies...

"B-Blake..."

Weiss' trembling fingers reached out to touch her teammate's side ever so gently.

Blake's wound still hurt a bit whenever she moved the wrong way, but Weiss' touch didn't faze her at all. In fact, it seemed to soothe a bit of the ache.

"I'm fine, Weiss. Don't worry. Just take your time, okay?"

Weiss rested her chin on Blake's shoulder and exhaled, feeling the aches in her chest beginning to fade away.

"You... Blake, you're not... supposed to be discharged yet," she rasped. "Are you?"

Blake's ears flattened beneath her bow.

"No... Not exactly. I... kind of snuck out..."

Weiss tensed.

"Blake-"

"Just hear me out before you get upset, okay? I'm fine now and I can help with other things. I don't need to just sit in my room and do nothing. I'm sure Ruby felt the same way," she added, noting their leader's absence.

Still, Weiss was miffed. She pulled away a bit so she may glare disapproval into Blake's eyes.

"You... no _wonder_ they wouldn't let us come visit you earlier. They've been looking for you all day, Blake. They didn't even let Ruby and I come in to see you two because they didn't want us to know you'd snuck out."

"Sorry. If I'd known you were coming, I wouldn't have left. But I had no idea you would be up and about so soon, Weiss. Ruby told us what happened to you..."

Her eyes flicked downward briefly, to where a pink scar was just barely visible at the center of Weiss' collar. Blake pulled her in close, releasing a sigh.

"I'm just glad you're okay. You all are. Ren and Nora stopped by yesterday and told us Pyrrha's recovering, too. It's all thanks to you guys."

"Nonsense," Weiss mumbled. "It's thanks to _all_ of us."

She slipped her arms around Blake as well, holding her close.

Weiss was just... so thankful to see her again, already up and about and doing all she could to help, a dire contrast to the scared, sobbing girl she'd last seen.

After a moment, Blake could feel Weiss' pulse ease until she could breathe normally once again. There was still something else the Faunus girl had to address.

"And, Weiss... all of that just now... I saw what you did. I heard what you said, a-and I... I can't even express what that meant to us... to _me_..."

Weiss was a little surprised to discover Blake had overheard.

Her teammate began to cry softly into Weiss' shoulder, clinging to her waist and back as emotion swept through her. Blake went on, now stumbling over her choppy words.

"A-And just the fact that... that it c-came from someone like you... I-I mean from your family... Gosh, Weiss that just... it means a lot. More than I can say..."

It was Weiss' turn to pat her friend's back for her.

"It's fine, Blake. I don't deserve thanks for displaying what should be common sense. I... We both know I was guilty in the past of behaving so poorly. I still hate that that was ever the case... But you helped open my eyes, Blake. I want to make things right..."

Weiss shed a few tears as well, hiding her face in Blake's hair.

But Blake didn't want this to be painful for either of them, at least not any more than it already was. She smiled, keeping Weiss in her arms.

"It's okay. Thank you, Weiss. Thank you _so much_..."

Weiss cried a little harder.

"No... you idiot... thank _you_ for helping me understand..."

She liked to believed she'd changed for the better. They both did.

A few tranquil moments passed. Both girls stayed in each others' embrace, until they both felt able to stand.

They leaned on each other and eventually got to their feet, then headed back towards the building. Weiss was still muttering in disbelief.

"I can't believe you ran away. From a _hospital_ , of all things, Blake. Honestly..."

"Yeah... Maybe that was a bad move, after all."

"Oh, _really?_ You think so? I'm surrounded by nincompoops."

"Sorry. Where's Ruby, by the way?"

"She'll be back soon. Let's go see Yang and wait for her together."

"Alright."

They maintained a slow pace, gradually making their way back to Yang.

* * *

 **A/N: I really wanted/still want to see a scene like this in canon. For Weiss to defend the Faunus (maybe against even her own father?) and to show how much she's grown since day one of arriving at Beacon. And if Blake was there to see/hear it, or heard about it later, it'd be even better.**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on as Kiria Alice!**

 **Please review!**


	3. Enemies

**Again, this idea was asked for by the customer, and I think it was really interesting! It was fun to write Ruby and Neo together in regards to what happened between them in the finale.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 3. Enemies

Leaving Weiss hadn't been easy, but her partner had been convincing enough to ensure she'd be fine for a few hours alone while Ruby went off to help with the repairs.

She'd been doing this for a few days now, since she herself had been officially discharged long before Weiss had. So by now, Ruby had a good idea of which places and areas needed the most help with rebuilding and recovering.

Her first order of business was to catch a ship to Vale; because of the town's size, it had sustained a lot of damage during the attacks. Even with every able professor, huntsman, and huntress offering nearly constant assistance, it was estimated that it would still take a few weeks before the town was completely and safely renovated.

Ruby waited on the ship, gazing out the window, her mind occupied by thoughts of her teammates.

She was still worried about why Weiss and herself had been turned away from Blake and Yang's room. Even though Weiss had assured her it was something that would probably be resolved before suppertime, Ruby couldn't help but fret.

Another reason she'd decided to take Weiss up on the offer to come to Vale was so that she could clear her mind a bit, focus on something else, even if it was a distraction...

Before she knew it, the ship had landed.

There was a handful of other people on-board, all being brought to Vale as reinforcements. These included Professor Goodwitch, who was in charge of nearly everything in relation to the recovery project. She was the one who decided where everyone should go and how long they should stay for.

Presently, she ushered the group on-board the ship towards the exit, and called out to address them.

"Thank you all again for your voluntary assistance today during these dire times. Without all of you, Vale would have crumbled days ago."

She passed her gaze over each and every one of them. When she met Ruby's eyes, she even gave a tiny smile, then continued.

"Now, as you all probably know, there are still many places in town that need rebuilding. Such places include the Dust shop on Main Street..." She went off to list the names of the buildings that had sustained the most damages.

"If you feel your abilities are best accustomed to rebuilding and repairs, please spend your time at any of these locations. As for those who believe they are ready and able to fight, the southeast section of downtown Vale has still been reported to have a handful of Grimm running rampant. We beseech you to do your best to eradicate as many as you can.

"However, if you chose to take on this particular job, I advise that you go in groups and stay together. With communications still down, there is no guarantee we will be able to locate everyone should something go awry.

"On that note, before you exit the ship, please use this paper to sign your name and the location you wish to go for the day. This way, when we make our return trip to Beacon in a few hours' time, we will be able to see who has and hasn't returned, and have the best estimate as to where they may be."

Ruby knew the drill by now. She'd been doing this for a few days, but so far, had mostly been helping with rebuilding and clean-up projects. This was the first she'd heard of Grimm still infesting the downtown area.

Therefore, as soon as it was her turn to sign the paper, she didn't even have to stop and think about where she would be heading today.

Glynda looked her over with hard eyes, then gave a sigh.

"I know I shouldn't be surprised, Miss Rose. But please. Do as I'd advised and stay together with the others who will be going that way. You're still recovering."

Ruby gave her professor a salute and a smile.

"I'll do my best, Professor!"

She could already tell Glynda was about to make a comment about 'making her best into an _actual_ attempt to follow the rules,' but before she could so much as speak another word, Ruby was already off the ship.

She caught a glimpse of the other fighters who would be heading downtown. They consisted of mostly Beacon's upperclassman, all of whom peered curiously at the blur of red as it passed them by. Only once she'd darted out of earshot did Ruby playfully call back.

"I'm going on ahead, try to keep up!"

She knew she only had a few hours, but she intended to kill as many Grimm in the city as she could before suppertime.

She raced through the streets, passing by multiple dilapidated buildings and broken roads that were being repaired. There were piles of debris on every street corner, and the majority of the stores and businesses were still closed down and empty.

Ruby hurried along, bound for the 'shadier side of town,' as Yang often called it. She hadn't done any fighting since she'd confronted Cinder and the dragon Grimm. And for a young, energetic huntress-in-training like herself, doing next to nothing for an entire week was almost enough to make her go crazy. She'd just try to find a few of the beasts today, then get back to Weiss and the others before long.

That had been her plan, anyway. But it seemed fate had other ideas.

As she ran through the streets, she noticed that this area seemed much darker, even though it was a fairly nice day today. The air just seemed as though it were being choked by some kind of smoke...

But none of the bars or businesses were open down here, so she knew this faint smog couldn't have been coming from any chimneys or exhaust pipes.

Which could only mean one thing.

She paused for a moment and closed her eyes, trying to sense which path seemed right. And by right, she meant _wrong_. Which path felt like danger lay ahead.

She moved down the streets that sent shivers up her spine, moving her hand back to brace over her weapon.

She found the first one before long. It was a Beowolf, prowling along the sidewalks as though it owned the place, sniffing the air like it was searching for something to sink its teeth into.

So was Crescent Rose.

Ruby extracted her scythe just as the beast took note of her and charged. She fired a shot at its front paws to keep it at bay long enough to extend her weapon to its true form, then raised the curved sickle high.

The wolf lunged again, jaws snapping, but Ruby was much quicker, even though she'd been bedridden only several days earlier. She let the wolf pass her, then lopped its head off as it went. The corpse dropped within seconds and began to disintegrate.

Ruby sighed in satisfaction; she'd almost forgotten what this felt like, to rid Remnant of an ounce of evil with her own two hands.

But she wasn't going to ignore the fact that this wolf had been heading somewhere in particular before she'd engaged it. Perhaps there were others ahead.

With Crescent Rose at her side, she tore off once more, keeping herself alert for any signs of something unusual.

To her mild surprise, it wasn't too difficult to spot.

One particular building had all but collapsed, save for a few pillars and a small section of the roof. She could discern from the holes in the walls that this had likely been the work of rouge Atlezian soldiers.

But now, it was the Grimm that were raiding the place.

The winged beasts had all fled by now, and larger Grimm such as Goliath and Death Stalkers had already been eradicated due to how easily their larger presence was noticed.

But the smaller wolves and boars had managed to slip under the radar.

Until now.

There were six of them, three of each kind, Ruby could now see, and they seemed to be awfully intent on something inside the remains of that building...

She was just about to rush forward and slaughter the beasts from behind when she noticed movement ahead.

From within the shadows of the broken building, there came a flash of light. Ruby could just barely make it out, but it seemed to be metal, as in a blade of some sort. This movement caused the Grimm to snarl and charge forward.

Ruby knew in that instance that there was someone trapped within the building.

She let out a battle cry of sorts to attract their attention, and the monsters whipped around to face her.

Before any of them could charge, she'd already killed one of the boars, retching its tusks off with her scythe and letting it bleed out black. She spun in place like a miniature tornado, lashing out her blade to slice at whatever dark flesh came her way. She killed two of the wolves by dismemberment, then shot the last two boars dead between the eyes.

When she paused for a moment to catch her breath and assess the situation, she caught sight of the final wolf. It was charging back towards the building, clearly intent on the somewhat easier prey trapped inside.

"Oh no you _don't!_ "

She'd seen enough people get hurt and even die in all of this. She wouldn't let there be another if she could help it.

She fired at the wolf's haunches, hoping to gain its attention. But it only advanced on whomever was swinging that long, thin blade within the shadows.

Ruby gave a burst of speed and yelled out a cry of fury just as the wolf tried to swipe its claws. The young huntress ended up standing on its back as she hooked her scythe around its raised forearm and pulled.

It tore off easily, and as the beast was howling in agony, Ruby shot a bullet down its throat. She hopped off the body just as it began to disappear, looking around for any others. She found none, and retracted her scythe to put away once more.

She wasted no time in hurrying forward towards the building, climbing over a broken wall that had probably spared the other person from certain death just a minute long enough for her to arrive. Ruby squinted into the darkness and called out softly.

"Pssst! Hey! Is anyone in here? Don't worry, you're safe now! Whoa-!"

She stumbled back as another flash of metal whipped past her face, so ferociously she could feel the desperation behind the attempt. She just barely managed to prevent herself from falling onto her backside by grabbing onto the rock wall.

"Hey, hey! I said it's okay! I'm not gonna hurt you, I promise! I can get you some help. Please, let me help you!"

She peeked into the darkness once again, trying to make out the other person. Now, she could hear them gasping faintly, clearly still traumatized by nearly being killed by the Grimm. But they weren't lashing out with the blade anymore, at the very least.

Cautiously, Ruby climbed over the three-foot wall and landed on the other side. She could see now that the other person was huddling themselves back against the wall as hard as they could. Only then did her gaze catch theirs.

A spark of recognition ignited between them both.

This person's eyes...

One was pink, and one was brown.

Ruby would know that gaze anywhere.

Suddenly, she was back on the edge of that airship, dangling thousands of feet above a city under attack, higher than even the Nevermores, holding on for dear life-

And the end of that blade was pointed at her once again.

Holding it was a girl that smirked cruelly, her eyes alight with an eager intent to kick her hand with a sharp heel until Ruby fell to her death...

Roman Torchwick had shouted her name just seconds after Ruby had outsmarted her, and just seconds before he'd been swallowed before her eyes.

As Ruby was pulled back into reality now, she cried out that same name.

"N-Neo!"

The smaller girl flinched; the last person who'd called her by name was someone she loved dearly, and she hadn't heard from him since. She snarled softly, keeping the end of her parasol pointed in Ruby's direction.

Ruby could see now that the girl was sitting down, her back pressed against the wall. She scrambled back even more, trying to use her weapon as a crutch now, trying to push herself up to her feet. She managed to get about halfway before a small yelp flew from her lips, and she collapsed awkwardly once more.

Ruby could see the pain in her eyes, could hear the way she was panting for breath. She knew this was genuine agony, and not just some act to trick her.

Besides, Ruby knew Neo was more than competent in battle, so there was no way she would've allowed herself to be cornered by Grimm without fighting back unless there was a good reason.

Ruby could quickly discern what that reason was.

"Hey, you're hurt."

Neo glowered up at her and hissed softly, as if to say "And whose fault do you think _that_ is?"

Even though the two of them had been fighting for their lives, and even though Neo had almost been the one to hurt _her –_ or worse – Ruby still couldn't help but feel guilty. The fighting was over, at least for now. There had been major losses on both sides, but...

But at least Ruby hadn't lost _her_ _partner_ like Neo had.

And even worse was what she realized next.

That Neo didn't even _know_ he was dead.

Ruby had gotten rid of her before the Griffon had attacked.

 _Neo didn't even know..._

Ruby felt sick to her stomach.

She realized she was still standing over the injured girl, and in this way, even _she_ might've seemed intimidating. So Ruby crouched down several feet away from her, just out of her blade's range.

"Hey..." Speaking softly, she held up both hands to show she didn't intend to hurt her. "I know that... that before... we kinda had to fight. We didn't really have a choice, right? But all of that's over now. Now, we should... we shouldn't have to draw lines, don't you think? We're all just people who need help recovering. So why don't you let me help you, okay?"

She was honest about her offer, and she hoped that earnestness could show in her eyes and be heard in her voice.

But it didn't matter if Neo believed her or not. Because even if she believed Ruby might not have any alternative motives behind helping her, Neo couldn't be sure that anyone else back and Beacon would be so kind to her.

The last thing she needed was to be captured, disarmed, and pressed for information. Not that she'd ever crack even if they resorted to torture. But she had better ways to spend her time.

Like finding _him_...

Which was why she growled in response to the girl's offer.

Ruby flinched, watching as Neo tried to stand again. She managed to get to her feet this time, and made an effort to get around Ruby. But she didn't even get two steps before she collapsed again, wheezing in pain.

Ruby rushed forward without thinking, unable to sit idly by when someone was hurt like this, even if it was someone who'd once tried to kill her.

"Let me see," she begged. "Please! I can help you!"

Neo had half a mind to swipe at her again, chase her off for good.

But despite her pride, she was no fool.

After Ruby had bested her, Neo had been all but helpless as she'd floated down on the currents with her parasol. That had made her an easy target for the flying Grimm, as she hadn't been able to fight back in midair unless she'd wanted to fall to her death.

So she'd had to suffer agonizing minutes with a Griffon's beak clamped on her ankle, shredding and tearing until she'd managed to kick it away.

It had been a miracle she'd landed in one piece.

She'd been running for days ever since her shoes had hit the ground, trying to keep out of sight of the Grimm and Beacon's huntsmen. She'd been living like a roach, stealing food from the shelves of these stores and drinking warm water from the taps.

She couldn't keep this up for much longer.

Of course, she knew the consequences if anyone else ever found out she'd accepted help from the enemy. But as far as she knew, Cinder was out of the picture, at least for a while.

This Ruby girl was still here, hand outstretched in a display of camaraderie, eyes hopeful and innocent.

Neo stared at her long and hard, attempting to see through any kind of facade.

But there was no such thing present here, not that she could find.

Therefore, she did the stupidest thing of her entire life.

She relented.

Pointing her parasol's blade away from the young huntress, Neo glowered at her, but did nothing more.

Ruby was easily able to interpret her gestures and expression. She perked up like an excited puppy and her lips broke out into a smile.

"Really? You'll let me help you?"

Neo merely grunted and looked away.

Ruby became even more enthusiastic.

"That's great! First let me see your ankle."

Neo snorted, her gaze flicking almost nervously down at her foot.

Ruby thought she looked less like the girl who'd tried to kill her a few days ago and more like a wounded feral animal. But even so, the girl allowed Ruby to inspect her injury.

Ruby carefully looked it over, seeing the rips in the boot and pants material where some kind of Grimm had presumably bitten her. The bleeding had stopped days ago, but the torn skin still looked raw and was caked with orange and red.

Considering how poorly her aura was healing the wound, Ruby could assume this girl hadn't eaten or slept properly in days. She leaned back and put a hand to her chin in thought.

"I think the best we can do right now is make a splint. Don't move, I'll be right back!"

Neo gave her a glare that said 'as if I _could_ move', but Ruby paid it no heed as she jumped to her feet and scurried off.

She searched around the debris of the building until she found a plank of wood about the size she'd need for a splint. She picked up a few pieces of frayed rope as well, then hurried back to the injured girl.

Ruby worked quickly and efficiently, trying to cause as little pain as possible. She couldn't help but remember the last few times she and her teammates had met Neo, how she'd adamantly tried to kill them...

Ruby shook the thoughts away again.

 _Maybe she didn't have any other choice. It doesn't matter. Right now she's hurt and she needs help._

Within a few minutes, Ruby had completed the splint. With a sigh of accomplishment, she sat back.

"There! That should help a bit."

Neo made an effort to move her leg a bit. There was a twang of pain, but nothing as bad as what she'd felt before.

With another grunt, she nodded her gratitude briefly, then looked away. Ruby was just happy to help.

"Umm... but I'm not really sure where to go from here... I could find someone and have you transported to the infirmary back at Beacon."

At that suggestion, Neo sent her a furious glare. Ruby recoiled.

"A-Alright. Then I won't do that. Um... is there... anywhere you can go...?" _Anyone who can come take you home?_ But she refrained from asking the latter question for one reason or another.

Neo huffed, but despite her stubbornness, couldn't help but glance in a certain direction over Ruby's shoulder. The young huntress followed her gaze and gasped softly.

Off to one side from where they were was a large wreckage, which she now recognized as General Ironwood's main airship. This was the same ship the two of them had fought on...

Ruby gulped a bit.

"You... wanna go there? But why?"

Neo didn't reply. But she did nudge Ruby's foot with her uninjured one in order to gain her attention. Ruby looked into her mismatched eyes and saw a small plea there.

 _Don't ask questions. Just take me there._

Ruby paused for a moment to consider.

Judging by the position of the sun, she only had a little over an hour left before she'd need to start heading back to the docks to catch a ship back to Beacon. The distance from where they were now as opposed to where the crashed ship was would take a considerable amount of time to cover with Neo's injured foot taken into consideration.

Ruby bit her lip, briefly wondering if Neo could somehow communicate what it was she was looking for or needed, and that Ruby could go herself and search for it. But she didn't like the idea of leaving the injured girl alone here like this.

So she came to a snap decision.

"Okay!"

Her response actually seemed to catch Neo off-guard, as though she'd never expected to be taken seriously in this request.

"But-" Ruby went on. "We can't waste any more time. We should get going now."

Neo didn't care about her injury anymore. She didn't care if this pipsqueak of a huntress was going to be her crutch and give orders. Not if it meant she could find him...

Neo scrambled to her feet, stabbing her parasol into the ground for support and leaning heavily back against the wall. She moved so suddenly it startled Ruby enough to reach out towards her.

"Hey, hey, wait! You shouldn't-!"

"Nngh!"

Wheezing in pain, Neo slumped back against the wall, about to collapse again. Ruby shot to her feet and had no choice but to grab her around the waist to keep her up.

Neo panted for a moment, and had she not been so exhausted she would've shoved the girl away ferociously. But as she was now, she could only cling pathetically to her for support.

Ruby gulped, hoping this wasn't a bad thing for her to be doing, helping someone like her...

As soon as Neo had caught her breath, she began limping off with conviction, leaning onto her parasol as she stumbled through the rubble. Ruby quickly followed her, tentatively placing a hand on the girl's back to keep her steady.

From then on, words between them were few and far between as they hobbled across the vacant streets of Vale, bound for the site of the large crash that had yet to be tended to.

They encountered only a few Grimm along the way, and Ruby killed nearly all of them. There was one wolf she missed, but Neo was able to stab it between the eyes before it could do any damage. Ruby grinned at her, but Neo looked away.

They continued onward, occasionally pausing to let Neo catch her breath. But they were nearing the ship now, and she wasn't about to give up, not when she was so close...

Several painful minutes later, they reached the wreckage. Ruby, who had been keeping a hand on the other girl's back, watched as Neo suddenly limped off towards the broken ship.

Everything seemed to be still, and she couldn't sense any Grimm around. But still, Ruby kept close to Neo and made sure to keep her eyes and ears alert for any signs of danger.

There were massive piles of debris and stone everywhere, and Neo seemed to be looking over every single inch of the area.

Ruby wished she knew what she was looking for. She asked her again and again, "Please, let me help you! What can I do?" but Neo seemed to have forgotten her presence altogether.

She needed to find him. She knew he was here. He _must've_ been.

She still remembered being suspended in the air when she'd heard the awful sounds of the massive ship going down. Only seconds afterward, she'd heard the colossal crash as it had hit the ground.

He must've gotten hurt. That was the only valid explanation as to why he hadn't come to find her yet, even after all this time had passed...

He _had_ to be here somewhere...

She looked about frantically, wishing now more than ever that she could call out his name.

But they had an unseen, intangible connection.

They didn't need words. There was just a _feeling_ between them.

And she was beginning to realize now that she couldn't feel him anymore.

No. It couldn't be that. She was probably just tired.

She paid no mind to the young huntress calling out to her. Neo just continued searching through the debris, becoming more and more frantic with each pile of rock that turned up nothing.

She had to find him.

She had to.

She _had_ to-

"N-Neo?"

The girl kept calling out for her, and it was making her angry.

No one else got to say her name. Only him.

Only him...

She could feel stinging frustration behind her eyes, a rage boiling up in the pit of her stomach, making it twist and burn.

He had to be here.

He _had_ to be.

He had to, he had to, he had to-

Her flustered gaze screeched to a sudden halt just then.

And she saw it. The familiar black curve of his hat, lying abandoned beneath a pile of dust and dirt.

She collapsed beside it, scraping for it, until she had it in her hands. She clutched it to her chest and screamed silently, feeling the blazing wetness pouring down her cheeks.

It couldn't be.

It couldn't be.

No.

 _No_.

She gasped and sobbed quietly, even though her lungs were straining to make more noise, to form an appropriate correspondence to her grief.

She couldn't feel him anymore.

Ruby watched the entire thing in horror. Timidly, she stepped closer, her eyes wide and helpless.

"Neo... I... I didn't know you were looking for Torchwick. If I'd known, I would've told you. I'm sorry..."

Neo suddenly seemed to remember her presence now. She snapped her head in Ruby's direction and turned a fiery glare on the girl. Her distraught eyes screamed what her voice couldn't.

 _You_ knew?! _You knew all this time?!_

Ruby winced as though she'd actually been yelled at.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't-"

But she didn't get to finish.

A heartbreaking cry tore itself from Neo's lips as she threw her head back in agony.

Ruby had never heard anything like it.

It was _powerful_ , enough to shake the ground beneath her boots. She crouched down to avoid falling, gasping as she noticed a few of the surrounding broken buildings fall apart even more. A large chunk of concrete that had been hovering precariously over Neo broke off and plummeted towards her.

"Watch out!"

There wasn't enough time to make a move.

Ruby watched in horror as the crushing block struck the crying girl beneath it. Neo's body seemed to shatter into a million pieces, breaking apart into tiny, glass-like particles. Her scream was cruelly cut off.

A second later, a gust of wind carried away the dust of her semblance, and she was gone.

Ruby stared at the place she'd just been. Neo's parasol as well as Roman's hat had vanished with her, as had the splint Ruby had made for her.

But the tears she'd shed still remained in the dust, proof that she'd truly been there.

If not for those stains, Ruby might've thought she'd imagined it all.

Even though Neo had been allied with the people behind the vicious attack on Beacon and the tournament, Ruby couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

Shakily, she stood, her eyes still trained on the spot where Neo had vanished. Ruby wiped her eyes and sighed.

"I'm sorry..."

But there was nothing more she could do.

She could only offer her condolences to the wind, and then take off back the way she'd come.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm still upset about them killing Torchwick. I wanted to know more about him and Neo. I wanted to see more of them working together.**

 **Last chapter will be the team reunited!**

 **If you like my work, please support me on as Kiria Alice!**

 **Please review!**


	4. Epilogue - Teammates

**At last, the girls can get back together!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Epilogue. Teammates

Yang sat propped up in her hospital bed, listening to the panicked murmurs of the nurses just outside her door.

She'd been asleep when Blake had slipped out the window, and upon waking to an empty room, Yang had admittedly been rather concerned. But she knew her partner, and she knew that Blake would be back on her own time.

Yang rested for most of the day, doing her best not to look down at her right arm - or what was left of it. She was still scared about having to live the rest of her life this way, but she was seriously considering Winter's offer. Still, she knew it would be a while longer before she came to a definite decision.

About three hours after noon, Yang heard a small commotion in the hallway, from the nurses again. But rather than frantic, this time they sounded relieved.

Yang perked up and looked to the doorway expectantly. Not a minute later, Blake walked in with a sheepish smile on her lips.

"I got in trouble." Yang chuckled softly.

"Yeah. I heard."

"Sorry."

Blake entered the room slowly, and then Yang noticed there was someone else behind her whom she was supporting and whispering gently to. The blonde girl felt her heart lift at the sight of her.

"Weiss!"

The heiress couldn't help but smile and tear up upon seeing her, too. The others had all seen one another since the battle, but she and Yang were the only two who had yet to be together since.

Blake happily helped Weiss over to Yang's bed and let her sit on one edge. Weiss was already crying before she could manage to bury her face in Yang's shoulder. She wrapped her arms around her and wept softly, mourning her teammate's sacrifice.

Blake quietly walked around to the other side of Yang's bed and sat down, putting one arm around either of the others.

Yang sighed shakily, overwhelmed with emotion to have them both back safely with her once more. And she was grateful that none of them seemed to mind that she could only return their hugs halfway.

For a while, she just held them close, and appreciated the feelings of their arms around her.

"Thank god..." she whispered. "You're all okay..." She brushed her cheek against Blake's while rubbing her left hand up and down Weiss' back gingerly. "Ruby told me... what happened to you, Weiss. God, I was so worried about you..."

Weiss exhaled slowly against blonde locks and found her voice.

"Me, too... I was so worried about both of you." She pulled away a little, and her eyes flicked down to Yang's right arm. "Yang... I'm-"

"It's alright. You don't have to say it. It's not like it was your fault or anything."

Even though Yang was smiling, Blake and Weiss could tell it was pained. Yang had been through so much already. Why did it have to be her?

But it seemed she wasn't letting it get her down as hard as it could be.

"Actually," she continued. "Your sister offered me a bit of help."

Weiss blinked in confusion.

"Winter? She came here?"

"Yeah. While she was waiting for you to wake up. I'm still thinkin' about what I want, but it was awfully nice of her to offer. Next time you talk to her, tell her I say thanks again, will ya?"

"Of course."

"Where's Ruby?"

Weiss was busy wiping her eyes again, so Blake answered Yang's question.

"She went to town again to help out."

"Gosh, that girl. Weiss, does she even sleep over there at all, or no?"

"Barely," the heiress mused. "She rolls around all night drooling."

"Sounds about right!"

They all chuckled together for a while, finding comfort in keeping close together on the bed. Weiss kept checking the time, and when suppertime was nearing, she told the others to expect Ruby back before long.

They talked together in subdued voices, about all the troubles on their minds. Talking helped to ease the hurt.

But at last, a small but excited knock sounded on the door. All three girls chorus an answer.

"Come in."

And Ruby darted in like a red tornado, all but jumping onto the bed and throwing her arms around all three of them at once somehow. They all called out her name softly and held her close.

Ruby was already sobbing as she clung to the three of them.

"I'm s-so glad..." she mumbled. "Everyone's okay. W-We're all o-okay. Team RWBY is back together!"

"We were never apart, you dolt."

"She's right."

"Agreed."

Ruby more or less curled up in her sister's lap with Blake and Weiss on either side.

They engaged in one more group hug, so warm, so soft, so gentle...

Ruby's stomach rumbled first, and the others chuckled.

"So," Yang spoke up. "How's about we have our first team dinner together again?"

"Sounds great," Blake said.

"Yes, please," Weiss added.

"Yeah, yeah! I can't wait!"

They politely ushered in a nurse who soon took off to fetch them some supper.

The four girls sat on the bed together with trays on their laps and enjoyed themselves for the first time in a long time.

They all helped Yang when she needed it, but never once pitied her, nor she herself.

Blake's stomach still ached a bit when she ate too much, and Weiss' throat still hurt when she swallowed. Seeing their little winces of pain always hurt Ruby in a way, too.

But they were all still here.

They'd overcome a lot of troubles together thus far, in only their first half a year together.

There would be plenty more to come.

But they knew they'd have each other.

* * *

 **A/N: I didn't want to have to address Ruby's situation with Neo here. She handled it on her own as best she could and her team didn't need to know about it. This final chapter was just to wrap up (happily) for all four of these girls. If only RT could have given us something nice like this.**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading, everyone! I hope you enjoyed! Check out some of my other alternate-finale fics too!**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on as Kiria Alice!**

 **Please review!**


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